Petunia plant named ‘Kerivoryvein’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Petunia  plant named ‘Kerivoryvein’, characterized by its mounding and semi-trailing growth habit; freely branching habit; early and freely flowering habit; medium-sized white-colored flowers with dark purple-colored centers and venation; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Petunia×hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘KERIVORYVEIN’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Petunia, botanically known as Petunia×hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Kerivoryvein’.

The new Petunia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventors in Cambridge, United Kingdom. The objective of the breeding program is to create new uniform Petunia plants with attractive flower coloration that are suitable for hanging basket containers.

The new Petunia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventors in August, 2007 in Cambridge, United Kingdom of a proprietary selection of Petunia×hybrida identified as code number 04-17-1, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Petunia×hybrida identified as code number 04-19-4, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Petunia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventors as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Cambridge, United Kingdom in May, 2008.

Asexual reproduction of the new Petunia plant by terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Cambridge, United Kingdom since September, 2008 has shown that the unique features of this new Petunia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Petunia have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The new Petunia plant's phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions and cultural practices such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Kerivoryvein’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Kerivoryvein’ as a new and distinct Petunia plant:

-   -   1. Mounding and semi-trailing growth habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Early and freely flowering habit.     -   4. Medium-sized white-colored flowers with dark purple-colored         centers and venation.     -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Petunia differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia are more mounding than and not as         trailing as plants of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Petunia have larger flowers than plants of         the female parent selection.     -   3. Flowers of plants of the new Petunia and the female parent         selection differ slightly in venation color.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Petunia differ from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia are more mounding than and not as         upright as plants of the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Petunia have smaller flowers than plants of         the male parent selection.     -   3. Flowers of plants of the new Petunia and the male parent         selection differ in flower color as plants of the male parent         selection have light yellow-colored flowers with reddish         brown-colored venation.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the Petunia ‘Kakegawa S30’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,862. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Cambridge, United Kingdom, plants of the new Petunia differed from plants of ‘Kakegawa S30’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia were more upright than and not as         trailing as plants of ‘Kakegawa S30’.     -   2. Plants of the new Petunia had larger leaves than plants of         ‘Kakegawa S30’.     -   3. Plants of the new Petunia and ‘Kakegawa S30’ differed in         flower color as plants of ‘Kakegawa S30’ had solid white-colored         flowers.

Plants of the new Petunia can also be compared to plants of the Petunia ‘Lanbor’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,144. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Cambridge, United Kingdom, plants of the new Petunia differed from plants of ‘Lanbor’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia were less vigorous than plants of         ‘Lanbor’.     -   2. Plants of the new Petunia and ‘Lanbor’ differed in flower         color as plants of ‘Lanbor’ had light purple-colored flowers         with dark purple-colored centers and venation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Petunia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Petunia plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of typical plants of ‘Kerivoryvein’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical flower of ‘Kerivoryvein’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in 20-cm containers during the summer in a glass-covered greenhouse in Cambridge, United Kingdom and under commercial cultural practices. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 28° C., night temperatures ranged from 14° C. to 20° C. and light levels averaged 50 kilolux. Plants were pinched one time and were ten weeks old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Petunia×hybrida ‘Kerivoryvein’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Petunia×hybrida identified as code number 04-17-1, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Petunia×hybrida identified as code number 04-19-4, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About seven days at             temperatures of about 20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About ten days at             temperatures of about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 25 days             at temperatures of about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 35 days             at temperatures of about 15° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Mounding and semi-trailing growth             habit; freely branching habit with about six primary lateral             branches developing per plant; pinching enhances lateral             branch development; moderately vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 18 cm to 21 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 74 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 38 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 4.8 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 3.2 cm.         -   Aspect.—Initially upright to semi-trailing.         -   Texture.—Pubescent.         -   Color.—Close to 143B and 144A. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Before flowering, alternate, simple; after             flowering, opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 4.7 cm.         -   Width.—About 3 cm.         -   Shape.—Broadly elliptic.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Acute.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Slightly pubescent.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Slightly lighter             than 147A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Slightly             lighter than 147B. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface:             Darker than 147A; venation, close to 137B. Fully expanded             leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B; venation, close to             144B.         -   Petiole length.—About 5.7 mm.         -   Petiole diameter.—About 3.5 mm.         -   Petiole texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.         -   Petiole color, upper and lower surfaces.—Close to 144A to             144B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Single-type salverform             flowers; singly arising from leaf axils; freely flowering             habit with usually about 60 flowers developing per plant;             flowers face mostly outwardly.         -   Fragrance.—Slightly fragrant, pleasant.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower continuously during             the summer in the United Kingdom.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about four to             eight days on the plant; flowers persistent.         -   Flower diameter.—About 6.5 cm to 6.8 cm.         -   Flower depth (height).—About 3.2 cm to 4.7 cm.         -   Flower bud.—Shape: Oblong. Length: About 4 cm. Diameter:             About 7 mm. Color: Towards the base, close to 144C; towards             the apex, close to 144D; venation, close to 187A.         -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Five petals fused at the base and             opening into a flared trumpet. Petal length from throat:             About 2.5 cm to 3.1 cm. Petal lobe width: About 3.2 cm to             3.5 cm. Petal shape: Spatulate. Petal apex: Obtuse. Petal             margin: Entire. Petal texture, upper surface: Smooth,             glabrous. Petal texture, lower surface: Slightly pubescent.             Throat texture: Smooth, glabrous. Tube texture: Pubescent.             Petal color: When opening, upper surface: Close to 155D;             venation, close to 187A. When opening, lower surface: Close             to 11D; lateral venation, close to 187A to 187B; main veins,             close to 199A. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 155B;             lateral venation, darker than 79A; main veins, close to 200A             becoming lighter, close to 79D, towards the margins; throat,             close to 202A. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 155B;             lateral venation, close to 79A to 79D; main veins, close to             199B.         -   Calyx.—Arrangement: One star-shaped calyx tube with five             sepals fused at the base per flower. Sepal length: About 1.7             cm to 2.1 cm. Sepal width: About 3 mm to 6 mm. Sepal shape:             Narrowly oblong. Sepal apex: Obtuse. Sepal margin: Entire.             Sepal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent, coarse.             Color, immature and mature, upper surface: Close to 147A.             Color, immature and mature, lower surface: Close to 146A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2.5 cm to 2.9 cm. Diameter: About             2 mm. Angle: About 45° from the stem axis. Strength: Strong.             Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: Five per flower.             Anther shape: Oblong. Anther size: About 2 mm by 3 mm.             Anther color: Close to 11C. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen             color: Close to 11D. Pistils: Quantity: One per flower.             Pistil length: About 2.2 cm. Style length: About 1.7 cm.             Style color: Close to 145D. Stigma shape: Oval. Stigma             color: Close to 144A. Ovary color: Close to 144A. Seeds and             fruits: Seed and fruit development have not been observed on             plants of the new Petunia. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Petunia have been observed to     have good garden performance and tolerate wind, rain and     temperatures ranging from about 4° C. to about 40° C. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Petunia have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Petunia. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Petunia plant named ‘Kerivoryvein’ as illustrated and described. 